‘Putting the spotlight on music education in schools’ was the guiding principle behind the European School Music Prize (ESP), which was launched by the Society of Music Merchants e. V. (SOMM) in 2010.

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The ESP recognised teachers and schools that inspire young people to make music actively through innovative methods, creative ideas and dedicated music education. The aim of the prize was to highlight and recognise outstanding achievements in school music education.

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Teachers and schools from German-speaking countries, as well as German schools in other European countries, were invited to take part by presenting their projects and teaching concepts in a five-minute video. The European School Music Prize was awarded in six categories: Musical work in classroom (Years 1–4, Years 5–12 and schools for children with learning difficulties) and Musical Work in Extracurricular Activities (Years 1–4, Years 5–12 and schools for children with learning difficulties).

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The submitted projects were assessed by a panel of experts. Particular emphasis was placed on fostering pupils’ motivation, initiative, personal responsibility and ability to work in a team. In addition, consideration was given to the extent to which pupils were actively involved in the learning process, how learning processes were presented, and whether the concepts and methods presented could be applied to other classes, courses or extracurricular groups.

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The aim of the ESP was to document exemplary and forward-looking approaches to music education in schools and to make them accessible to a wider public. At the same time, the aim was to raise awareness of and appreciation for music teaching in schools, and to promote music education and active music-making in the long term. Through the publication of the award-winning video documentaries, the recognised projects were also able to serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement for other teachers and schools in their own work.

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The European School Music Prize was regularly announced and awarded up to and including 2020. The projects and examples of best practice developed as part of the competition remain, to this day, an impressive testament to the innovative power and significance of music education in schools.